When people mention eating disorders, they commonly think that women are the group most prone to suffering from these. However, this is not true since both men and women suffer from eating disorders equally, being bothered by low self-esteem and preoccupations with weight. However, males are more likely to keep their condition a secret, never seeking help.
Male Eating Disorders
Statistically, up to 15% of people suffering from anorexia or bulimia are men. Also, 35% of people who suffer from binge eating are of male sex. In general, percentage of males being affected by eating disorders increases annually.
Boys and men may develop eating disorders due to many factors. Mostly, they do this due to their emotional pressures or family and relationship issues, since they are unable to cope with these problems any other way.
Interestingly, certain groups of males are more prone to developing eating disorders than other people. For example, wrestlers are 7 to 10 times more likely to suffer from an eating disorder. Additionally, homosexual men are more prone to eating disorders than other men.
Symptoms and Facts related to Eating Disorders in Men
A great number of doctors and health experts are not qualified enough in order to notice symptoms of eating disorder in men and diagnose this condition timely. Rather, both due to this fact and the silence males commonly choose, eating disorders advance into more complicated issues, making the whole problem much harder to deal with.
Also, in order to recover, a man may need to participate in support group sessions often consisting of women entirely. This too can be an obstacle on the way of treatment.
As for signs of eating disorders in women, they often complain about being fat and dissatisfied with their looks, feeling overweight even when they are not. Men, on the other hand, tend to become obese and feel the pressure to become slim at some point of their lives, choosing unhealthy ways of achieving this physical shape.
Thus, compulsive exercising can also be a sign of a possible eating disorder affecting a person. Additionally, men who suffer from eating disorders, being deeply unhappy about their overweight figure in the past, may react violently and abnormally once being teased about this time of their lives.
Finally, the signs can be equal to signs of eating disorders in females. Depending on the disorder, the person may be prone to going to the bathroom immediately after eating, losing weight abruptly or eating often without actually gaining any weight. Also, physical signs of an unhealthy lifestyle can appear, leading to visible deterioration of one's hair, teeth and other body parts.
Treatment for Eating Disorders in Men
The treatment depends on the underlying condition triggering the eating disorder. Often, men are directed towards nutritional support, establishing a diet proper for a healthy weight loss. Regardless of the treatment, when neglected, eating disorders can even be deadly. Thus, take action and seek help.
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